3 replies to this topic

[coyttl]

Hey all..

Over the last year or so, I've been mentioning that my engine seems to be running cold. For example, on a long drive, the coolant needle would never get above half-way between C and middle. (Quarter of the way.)

Months and months pass, with no change and me not having time to get in there to replace the temp sender.

Now, this past weekend I accidentally killed the battery, so I let the Mini sit idling in my driveway for about an hour. When I went to check on it, the temp needle was at 75% - halfway between middle and H! It never got that hot before! The battery was charged and I shut it off, let it sit overnight.

The next day I take it for another long drive, and this time the needle never moved. It stayed just below Cold for 60 miles. Shut it off for about an hour to eat lunch, and then drove it for another 60 miles. The SECOND sixty miles it also stayed on Cold until about 10 miles before reaching my destination - at which point it started to warm up to halfway between Cold and middle.


Should I still worry abot replacing the sensor, or is my radiator just too good?

Cheers all,
-Mike.

[Ivor Badger]

Put a new thermostat in it, or even fit one in the first place.

[Sprocket]

Could be a few things.

Make sure the thermostat sits ontop of the sandwich plate, and not in the head. Make sure the sandwich plate take off is not blocked. Make sure the inlet manifold is plummed the correct way round. Make sure there is an 88c thermostat in there and that it is not stuck open.

You will find in colder weather that it takes some time for it to get up to operating temperature. When its sta idling, it might not get much above the mid way line on the gauge as the mechanical fan will be moving air all the time. The axu fan comes on at about 102c and to get the engine up to this you need to use some cardboard to blank off the radiator

The temp gauge doesnt register until the temp gets up to around 70c, much the same as many new cars. the mid line is roughly 90c and the top of red line I recon is 110c. That is dependant on the coolant temp sensor working correctly in the first place. Basicaly if you get the aux fan to come on and the gauge is reading somewhere near the red, its probibly OK.

It could be, if its that cold, the age old Mini problem of over cooling. The usualy way to resolve that back in the 60s was to fit a grille cover.

[coyttl]

Thanks guys.

For the record, new 88c thermo (about 6 months old, all symptoms except for the staying-really-cold didn't change at all). The electric fan doesn't work - the original owner said he could never get it to work, so the relay is pulled at the moment. So it's not cold because it is stuck on. But the idling and getting/showing really hot would be a symptom of it not turning on, yes? The sandwich plate takeoff is not blocked - I get hot air from the heater just fine.

However, Sprocket, you mention:

Make sure the inlet manifold is plummed the correct way round.

THIS I have not checked! Is there a writeup on this somewhere I can verify my config? by the way, the previous owner, when I bought it from him years ago, said, "It always runs cold." I'm the one that found out it's running rich - I doubt the previous fellow ever figured THAT out.

Cheers guys,
Mike.